6. Estella – Los Arcos (22km) | Camino Santiago

This is the day in El Camino de Santiago that probably many pilgrims were waiting for. Just a few kilometers after Estella and near the Romanesque Monastery of Santa Maria la Real de Irache which also deserves a visit there is a wine fountain. Yes, I mean a wine fountain, and it is free. The wine fountain belongs to Bodegas Irache where they produce wine from the surrounding vineyards, however the wine is not always running free in the fountain but only during the “bodega” working hours so if you pass by very early in the morning or in Sunday you will be disappointed.

Apart from the joy of finding a wine fountain, El Camino de Santiago has plenty of gifts for the pilgrims along this stretch since the fields and vineyards in this area are really charming especially in the autumn with the grapes ripen and the red colors of the vines’ leaves.

The village of Los Arcos has a disproportional imposing church for the size of the village, it nearly seems a cathedral and it is one of the best in El Camino de Santiago. Los Arcos was a village of great importance in the Middle Ages since it was in the border line between the kingdoms of Navarre and Castile and was constantly disputed by both kings. In fact, Los Arcos means “the arches or the doors” and these medieval arches are still standing in the western part of the village being regarded as the doors to Castile.